In this observation, pay attention to how your teacher manages his or her classroom. What types of disruptions, if any, occur while you're visiting? How do they set the class in motion? How do they deal with interruptions (from the outside) and disruptions (from their students)? Determine whether there are students in the classes that you will teach that are especially troublesome. Ask your CT how he or she addresses these students' needs. Reflect on your "vision" of an ideal science classroom. What classroom policies will you try to implement in YOUR classroom? How does your vision align with your teaching philosophy?
In my placements both of my CTs have strengths and weaknesses in managing the classroom. In the middle school there are mostly just noise disruptions within the class. Mrs. Haberlin does a very good job in keeping the noise to a minimum. The noise is often contributed to the same talkative kids however. The disruptions are often side conversations happening at the lab tables or outbursts in class that is completely unrelated to a topic. This usually follows to more side convos and getting off track. Mrs. Haberlin will usually guide the students in the right direction back on task with minimal effort. For the most part the class is very attentive to her instructions and does not act very disorderly.
I have noticed some different classroom disruptions within my high school classroom. Specifically in the college prep bio class. This class ranges from a wide range of students from basic level to legitimate college level students. While doing individual work there are a handful of students that do not complete the assigned task. Many take unnecessary breaks like leaving the room or sharpening their pencil. Some students when they get up walk around the room disrupting others talking or touching them which causes added distractions and more noise and interruptions in the class. These same students are often the students that do not complete the assigned work during class time or put minimal effort into their work. Mrs. Malone does scold the students sometimes placing them somewhere else in the classroom, or repeatedly asking them to do work and one on one help. Sometimes this approach works but many times it doesn't. Even with constant monitoring within the class the students will not try or complete the work that is assigned. Also within the specific college prep classroom there is a special educator. She adds more distractions in the class by talking with the students, sometimes out of context, and allowing them to leave the classroom to waste time. I think that this class will be the most troublesome for me in terms of classroom management. There are just specific students that bring down the rest of the class and it might be hard to find a balance in the beginning.
When I asked Mrs. Malone what to do in these cases of the students not completing the work within the class times and the added disruptions in the class she said there is only so much you can do. Sometimes you just have to let it go. Other times you have to be on them constantly trying to get them to work. Trying different approaches such as collecting the work assigned in class or moving a disruptive student. (2/2) Excellent account of what you're experiencing. I agree that careful planning, clear expectations about what is due at the end of each period, and quick followup with parents regarding missing assignments could change the class routine. Based on my observations, this behavior is NOT typical across other high schools in RI.
In my placements both of my CTs have strengths and weaknesses in managing the classroom. In the middle school there are mostly just noise disruptions within the class. Mrs. Haberlin does a very good job in keeping the noise to a minimum. The noise is often contributed to the same talkative kids however. The disruptions are often side conversations happening at the lab tables or outbursts in class that is completely unrelated to a topic. This usually follows to more side convos and getting off track. Mrs. Haberlin will usually guide the students in the right direction back on task with minimal effort. For the most part the class is very attentive to her instructions and does not act very disorderly.
I have noticed some different classroom disruptions within my high school classroom. Specifically in the college prep bio class. This class ranges from a wide range of students from basic level to legitimate college level students. While doing individual work there are a handful of students that do not complete the assigned task. Many take unnecessary breaks like leaving the room or sharpening their pencil. Some students when they get up walk around the room disrupting others talking or touching them which causes added distractions and more noise and interruptions in the class. These same students are often the students that do not complete the assigned work during class time or put minimal effort into their work. Mrs. Malone does scold the students sometimes placing them somewhere else in the classroom, or repeatedly asking them to do work and one on one help. Sometimes this approach works but many times it doesn't. Even with constant monitoring within the class the students will not try or complete the work that is assigned. Also within the specific college prep classroom there is a special educator. She adds more distractions in the class by talking with the students, sometimes out of context, and allowing them to leave the classroom to waste time. I think that this class will be the most troublesome for me in terms of classroom management. There are just specific students that bring down the rest of the class and it might be hard to find a balance in the beginning.
When I asked Mrs. Malone what to do in these cases of the students not completing the work within the class times and the added disruptions in the class she said there is only so much you can do. Sometimes you just have to let it go. Other times you have to be on them constantly trying to get them to work. Trying different approaches such as collecting the work assigned in class or moving a disruptive student. (2/2) Excellent account of what you're experiencing. I agree that careful planning, clear expectations about what is due at the end of each period, and quick followup with parents regarding missing assignments could change the class routine. Based on my observations, this behavior is NOT typical across other high schools in RI.
my vision of an ideal classroom